Press-plate.



A. W. FRENCH,

PRESS PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2.|916.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918. fly. 2.

ALFRED W. FRENCH, 0F PIQUA, onro.

PRESS-PLATE.

Application filed December 2, 1916.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in PressPlates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to press plates for oil expressing presses and more particularly to press plates intended for use in presses of the kind known as cage presses.

In these presses the cakes are formed in the top of the press cage as the rain descends. After forming one cake, a piece of press cloth is laid on the cake, a press plate is placed on this cloth and another piece of press cloth placed on the press plate. The ram is then lowered a step and another cake is formed, the press cloths and plates being placed between the successive cakes in the manner stated. The oil escapes from the press through perforations or slits in the walls of the cage and to get to the walls it either has to travel through the cakes themselves or through the press cloths between the cakes. In the case of some seeds which carry a high percentage of oil, it is impractical to extract all of the oil at a single pressing in presses of the sort commonly used for expressing linseed and cotton seed oil, because the high percentage of oil causes the cakes to creep in the press, tearing the press cloths and squeezing out the meal. By first extracting a portion of the oil in a cage press, which can be done quickly and economically, the cake is left in better condition for working to extract the remainder of the oil in the other type of hydraulic press. Where large volumes of oil are extracted in this way, the flow of the oil is heavy and rapid and the opportunity for the escape of the oil from the cake must be correspondingly large.

The object of this invention is to provide a practical and desirable press plate of simple, inexpensive and durable construction, especially suitable for cage presses, which affords a ready drainage through the plate itself for the escape of the oil from the cakes in the press, and which is of a construction enabling the oil drainage passa es to be readily cleaned in the event of the same becoming clogged with meal.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Serial No. 134,587.

the cage and ram of a cage press, and showing press plates embodying this invention in place between the cakes in the press.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a press plate embodying the invention, one corner of one component plate of the press plate being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on a larger scale of one corner of the press plate, also showing a portion of one plate broken away.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views thereof on lines H and 55, respectively, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a sli htly modified construction.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a circular press plate embodying the invention.

The press plate is composed of two sheet metal or thin metal plates A and B which are secured together faceto face in some suitable manner enabling the plates, if necessary, to be disconnected and separated. As shown, the plates A and B are secured together by rivets a at their corners. The heads of the rivets can be readily cut off permitting the separation of the plates, and the plates can be again riveted together with little labor and expense. The heads of tlie riv ets can project from the surface of the plate, thus facilitating the cutting of the rivets, the projection of the heads not being an objection in the use of the press plates. Any other suitable means for fastening the plates together could be employed in place of the rivets.

Each of the component: plates A and B is provided at suitable intervals with hollow ribs or corrugations D, which, when the two plates are secured together face to face, form drainage channels d between the two plates for the escape of the oil to the edges of the press plate. The ribs or corrugations are provided with perforations, which may be small holes 6, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 and 7, or may be narrow slits, as shown in Fig. 6, through which the oil escaping from the cakes can enter the drainage channels (1. The two plates A and B are preferably ar- "anged with the ribs D of one plate extending transversely of or at an angle to the ribs of the other plate, as clearly shown in the drawings. In this way, the press plate is provided with escape or drainage channels for the oil leading to all edges of the plate, thus permitting a free escape of the oil to all The ribs D are narrow and stiff, and the ribs of each plate are separated by intervening flat plate portions, and these flat portions of the two plates A and B bear against each other so that the ribs will not spread or flatten out under pressure in the use of the plates in the press. The drainage channels (Z are so proportioned that the oil remaining in the channels after the pressure is relieved can be absorbed by the press cloths and will not soak back into the cake, as would be the case if the drainage channels were large enough to hold more oilthan could be absorbed and held by the press cloths.

Preferably the edges of the two plates A and B of the press plates are turned up or bent away from each other slightly, as clearly shown at '7", in Figs. a. and 5, so as to provide channels F at theedges ofthe press plate which communicate with the drainage channels d extending across the plate. These vedge channels F afford a passageway around the edge of the press plate which enables the oil escaping from the drainage channels (Z to seek adjoining perforations or escape openings in the sides of the press cage. Thus channels are provided for the free escape of the oil from the various intermediate portions of the plate to the edges thereof,.and the edge channels or passageways Fplace each of the cross channels (Z in communication with one or more escape openings in the press cage. In the event of the drainagechannels becoming clogged with meal, the plates can be readily separated as before explained, andthe channels cleaned out, after which the platescan be again secured together with very little labor and expense.

Fig. 7 shows a plate similar to that shown in Figs. 2 to 5 except that the plate is circular instead of rectangular, adapting it for use in circular cage presses. The circular pressplate can be made with either the small holes or slits in the ribs for the escape of the oil to the drainage channels, and the circular edge of the press plate is-provided with an edge passage-way as above described in connection with the rectangular plate.

I claim as my invention:

1. A press plate composed of two plates arranged face to face, one of said component plates having hollow perforated ribs and in the other plate, said hollow ribs forming free drainage channels between the platesto the edges thereof. a

8. A press plate composed of two plates arranged face to face, each having spaced hollow perforated ribs forming free drainage channels between the plates to the edges thereof, said plates being arranged with the ribs of one plate extending at an angle to the ribs of the other plate.

i. A press plate composed of two plates, each having alternate hollow perforated ribs and flat portions, said platesbeing secured together with the flat portions of one plate bearing against the flat portions of the other plate and with the hollow ribs of the two plates extending outwardly from opposite faces of the press plate, said hollow ribs forming free drainage channels between the p ates to the edges thereof.

5. A press plate composed of two sheet metal plates secured together face to face, said plates having bent portions forming hollow perforated ribs on opposite sides of the press plate and oil drainage channels between the plates. 7

6. A press plate having oil drainage channels in the body of the plate connecting by openings with the face of the plate, and an edge channel extending. along the edge of the plate and connecting a plurality of said body channels.

7. Means for use as a press plate between the cakes of material in a press, comprising two sheet metal plates arranged face to face, said plates having bent portions forming hollow perforated ribs on opposite sides of the press plate and oildrainage channels between the plates. v

Witness my hand, this30 day of'Nov., 1916.

.ALFRED W FRENCH.

Witnesses: V

ADA, PEARSON,

M. M. WHITLOGK,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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